Reborn as a Maid in Ancient Times

Zhang You stared into thought at the small, brown door in front of her, adorned with bronze lion-shaped door knockers, barely wide enough for one person to pass through.

Can't you?

so small?

"This is the back door. The front door isn't for people like us." As if realizing Zhang You had misunderstood, Manager Qiao replied casually.

"Oh, oh." Zhang You smiled awkwardly.

After saying this, Manager Qiao stepped forward and knocked on the door twice. A moment later, a doorman came to open the door.

"Manager Qiao is back!" the servant said obsequiously.

"Hmm." Manager Qiao replied coldly with a single word, then led Zhang You to the servants' quarters.

"This is the small west gate inside the mansion. Because it is close to the servants' quarters, all the people who need to go out for shopping or other purposes go out from here."

If there are goods to be transported, they must be transported through the larger gate on the west side, towards the north.

"Okay, I've got it."

Zhang You fawned over him.

"Now that you have entered the manor, you must not refer to yourself as 'I' anymore, but as your servant. This is the rule."

Once you're inside the manor, you must follow its rules. Remember, your master is the most important person, and you must never be disrespectful to him; his affairs are of utmost importance and must be handled with utmost urgency.

……

"Alright, you can learn the rest of the rules from Granny Chang."

That's too classic.

This is a master-servant relationship that is utterly inhumane and devoid of human rights.

Can't we even talk back?

You have to fawn over them and go along with everything they do.

Just thinking about it is painful.

Want to escape...

Want to run away...

But he had just signed a contract to sell himself into servitude.

It’s okay, it’s okay!

If I can't afford to offend them, I can at least avoid them.

At worst, I'll just become a third-class maid and won't have to deal with my master anymore. That solves the problem at its root!

That’s it!

"Yes, I understand."

After Meimei used her manipulation tactics on Zhang You, Zhang You was able to lie through her teeth.

They kept calling her "servant," and their attitude was incredibly good!

Zhang You followed Steward Qiao along the way and became familiar with the route from the West Gate to the lower rooms.

I wonder what the identity of the owner of this mansion is?

This is such a huge artificial mountain!

Such a big vegetable garden?

Such carved beams and painted rafters!

This winding corridor!

This smooth stone-paved road?

Just how rich is this family?

After walking for so long, we only saw the rockery garden and vegetable patch in the west courtyard.

Wait, what's that smell? It smells so good.

It looks like a potato?

Zhang You couldn't help but swallow.

So hungry.

I should have guessed it sooner—what could be next to a vegetable garden? Of course, it's the kitchen!

"Uncle Joe, can we eat now?"

Zhang You was so hungry that she didn't care about the hierarchy that Manager Qiao had just mentioned; all she wanted was to eat!

"Alright, alright, you're so hungry you're practically skin and bones. I've been hearing your stomach growling the whole way here. They should be getting the food ready soon, let's go eat."

Zhang You didn't care about the embarrassment of being exposed, and just agreed and waited to get to the kitchen quickly.

"Oh, Manager Qiao, you've come at the perfect time! Chef Ding just finished cooking, so you've come just in time for the hot meal."

"That's a lucky coincidence."

"Come, come, Manager Qiao, sit here. The chairs here are clean."

"Hey—, Steward Qiao, come here. I have a new pot of fine wine that the young master gave me. Want to try some?"

"Hurrah."

Manager Qiao was all smiles as he was about to be surrounded and pulled over by a group of people.

Zhang You squeezed through the crowd with difficulty, just about to ask Manager Qiao how she was to be arranged.

As if suddenly remembering her, Manager Qiao pointed her to one of the old women who had just spoken to him.

"Er Ya, that's Granny Chang. Go with her, and she'll take care of things for you later."

"Okay, okay." Zhang You agreed, then turned and ran to find Granny Chang with great enthusiasm.

"Greetings, Granny Chang. I'm Er Ya, a new maidservant. Steward Qiao said I'll be working for you from now on."

"Alright, come here. This table is full of people similar to you, except they arrived a day or two earlier. From now on, you'll be with me, just like them. I'll teach you the rules of the manor."

Granny Chang carefully examined Zhang You, then led her to a table of girls who were about the same age as her, all of whom were underdeveloped and thin.

They were all wearing the same brown clothes and had their hair tied in a bun.

I go!

At first glance, I thought I saw sextuplets!

wrong!

With me included, there are septuplets!

bah bah bah.

However, they share the same shriveled little body, the same sallow skin, and the same short stature.

Could it be that the master of this mansion is involved in something?

Why pick on us skinny girls?

A strange hobby?

collect?

what?

"Come sit here."

"You lot are all too skinny. You need to eat more. How can you work if you don't grow stronger?"

After pulling Zhang You over and arranging for her to sit down, Granny Chang gave them some more instructions, telling them to eat more so they could grow stronger.

"Look at those two tables. They only arrived a few months earlier than you, and they've already become much prettier. With their improved appearance, they'll have a good chance of becoming first-class maids soon after the promotion assessment."

Zhang You quickly grabbed a steamed bun and started eating it along with the three vegetarian dishes on the table.

There were really only three vegetarian dishes.

Stewed potato chunks, stir-fried cabbage, and tofu salad.

If I weren't starving right now, I would have flipped the table if I were given this as my work meal at any time!

However, being extremely hungry, I didn't even feel the cornbread was too dry, and I swallowed it whole mixed with vegetables.

But she still kept an ear to what Granny Chang was saying.

She looked over as Granny Chang had said—indeed, the maids at the two tables in front, though also dressed in brown, were not as thin and small as those at this table.

They have fuller faces and fairer skin, making them look much healthier.

Zhang You suddenly felt a renewed desire to be a maid.

At least we don't have to worry about food and drink anymore.

So she nodded excitedly as she wolfed down her food.

……

After the meal, Zhang You and the five girls, led by Granny Chang, diligently began washing the dishes.

The west courtyard also has a large kitchen and a small kitchen. The large kitchen is for cooking for the masters, while the small kitchen is for cooking for the servants.

Next to the small kitchen was where they ate.

Although it's described as a large kitchen and a small kitchen, the large kitchen is actually smaller than the small kitchen, given the number of servants.

After Zhang You finished washing the dishes, Granny Chang appeared and took her to get bedding and other supplies, and then led her to the servants' room.

The kitchen and the lower rooms are quite close, probably for the convenience of work.

Zhang You was assigned to a room with the five girls.

However, this room is really small.

There is a small long table as soon as you enter, with a large communal sleeping area on each side.

It looks like a large dormitory bed can sleep four people, so this small room actually houses eight people!

Suddenly I remembered the factory dormitory.

"You're late, so there are only two seats left against the wall. Pick one yourself."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Come find me in the small kitchen when you're all ready. You can be with those six maids, and I'll teach you some of the rules of the manor."

Seriously? I'm already joining the working class right after arriving?

"okay."

Despite inwardly cursing, Zhang You still gave in.